A recent study on the impact of the eastern coyote on
the wildlife of West Virginia has had some startling results.

According to W.Va. Dept. of Unnatural Resources, the
coyote has begun to expand its range from rural areas to municipalities
and inner cities.

Research has begun on how to stop this significant
predator from destroying our cities’ ecosystems and from becoming a
substantial problem for more than farmers, but also shop-keepers,
bankers, and city dwellers.

Last week, a new program called DCC (Dept. of Coyote
Control) was launched in this field by pioneers known as the Warner
brothers.

An interview with the department’s new director, Lou
Kneetunes has some concerned.

According to Kneetunes, a search for a natural way of
controlling the population has been ongoing.

“Historically,” he said, “the coyote’s habitat was in
the Great Plains of western and mid-western states. Today, the coyote
occupies every state in the continental U.S. and ranges from Alaska to
the Panama Canal. A large coyote recently terrorized citizens until it
was tranquilized and removed from downtown New York City. This is
causing us to consider unorthodox measures.”

The eastern expansion of the coyote was probably a
result of the elimination of its ancient foe, the timber wolf, and the
establishment of the deer herd in the east as a food base. It has been
said that the coyote’s favorite food is anything they can chew.

The coyote is a carnivore that is able to adapt to the
available food supply. According to the Warner brothers, the DCC has no
choice but to entice the coyote away from the cities with an addition to
its diet.

The announcement of the release of 1,000 roadrunners in
our largest cities hit the press at the beginning of this week.

“The plan,” said Kneetunes, “is simple. The roadrunner
is a solitary animal. Once released, they will immediately flee the city
streets and race away from larger populations, and the coyotes will
follow. Historically we know that when it comes to coyotes and
roadrunners, the coyote, for some strange reason, shies away from using
its natural animal senses and cunning and instead creates absurd
contraptions and elaborate plans to pursue his quarry. These
contraptions can be quite lethal . . . to the coyote. We hope to see
this happening all across the state.”

It should be noted that predation is a natural part of
the ecosystem. The addition of the roadrunner to the ecosystem may
change ecological balances of predator and prey species. According to
the Dept. of Unnatural Resources, it will not eliminate other species
from the environment. Predators serve a valuable function to keep prey
species in balance with their habitat.

It will be several years before the roadrunner colonizes
areas in West Virginia. Therefore, potential densities and impacts are
unknown. New changes will most likely occur in many regions. For years,
the control of coyotes because of wildlife predation has been considered
unwarranted and unnecessary, but on Apr. 1, 2010, times have changed.

New methods to encourage the sport of coyote calling and
means to target the coyote as a furbearer and game animal have already
begun to be explored.

“The new coyote call,” said Wile E., owner of Acme,
Inc., a local outdoor store, “sounds like this . . . ‘MEEP MEEP’.”